The Founder Who Gave It All Away: Sara Happ on Strategic Generosity, and Starting All Over Again
Tue Feb 03 2026
"I don't believe in regrets. I'm big on learning... Sometimes there's an easy, obvious path, and other times it's worth waiting for the hard thing and then doing the hard thing." - Sara Happ
Sara Happ built one of the beauty industry's most beloved brands from her own kitchen in 2004, creating the first-ever lip scrub that became a viral sensation after Reese Witherspoon discovered it in a Brentwood, CA boutique. For 20 years, her namesake brand defined modern lip care. And t in one of the most courageous decisions of her life, Sara just walked away from the company bearing her own name and she's only looking forward.
In this conversation, Sara shares the pivotal moments that led to her departure, the red flags she ignored in pursuit of brand growth, and what it really means to rebuild when your identity has been tied to a brand. We explore her journey from ESPN journalist to beauty entrepreneur, her battle with endometriosis that nearly made her daughter Julia a "medical anomaly," and the community of female founders who became her lifeline.
Sara's story is a masterclass in listening to your gut, choosing the right kind of hard, and knowing that as long as you have breath in your lungs, you can start all over again.
What we explore in this episode:
(02:37) The deal Sara wishes she'd never taken
(12:11) How Sara knew it was time to leave behind her namesake
(16:35) Finding community in the rebuild
(34:28) Working smarter, not harder as a working mom
(54:02) The endometriosis community that changed everything for Sara
Connect with Sara:
@SaraHappHerself on IG
Connect with Nathalie:
AllOverAgainPodcast.com
@AllOverAgainPodcast
LinkedIn
More
"I don't believe in regrets. I'm big on learning... Sometimes there's an easy, obvious path, and other times it's worth waiting for the hard thing and then doing the hard thing." - Sara Happ Sara Happ built one of the beauty industry's most beloved brands from her own kitchen in 2004, creating the first-ever lip scrub that became a viral sensation after Reese Witherspoon discovered it in a Brentwood, CA boutique. For 20 years, her namesake brand defined modern lip care. And t in one of the most courageous decisions of her life, Sara just walked away from the company bearing her own name and she's only looking forward. In this conversation, Sara shares the pivotal moments that led to her departure, the red flags she ignored in pursuit of brand growth, and what it really means to rebuild when your identity has been tied to a brand. We explore her journey from ESPN journalist to beauty entrepreneur, her battle with endometriosis that nearly made her daughter Julia a "medical anomaly," and the community of female founders who became her lifeline. Sara's story is a masterclass in listening to your gut, choosing the right kind of hard, and knowing that as long as you have breath in your lungs, you can start all over again. What we explore in this episode: (02:37) The deal Sara wishes she'd never taken (12:11) How Sara knew it was time to leave behind her namesake (16:35) Finding community in the rebuild (34:28) Working smarter, not harder as a working mom (54:02) The endometriosis community that changed everything for Sara Connect with Sara: @SaraHappHerself on IG Connect with Nathalie: AllOverAgainPodcast.com @AllOverAgainPodcast LinkedIn